Method of and apparatus for bending axles and the like



Nov. 2 1926., 1,605,372

J. A. PLJZNE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BENDNG AXLES AND THE LIKE 1 Filed Feb, 23, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 2 9 1926,.

J. A. PELEZZQN! METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BENDENG AXLES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f Arm/veis Filed Feb. IS, 1922 Nov. 2l926.

J. ik. PELEZNH METHOD OF A'ND APPARATUS FOR BENDING AXLES ANDl` THE LKE Filed Feb. 25, i922 I lx. uw "qu Nov.. 2 lie. 1,605,372

J. A. WLiZQNu METHOD or AND APPARATUS FOR BENDXNG AxLEs AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25, 1922 4 sheets-sheet 4.

N VEN TOI? RWM',

A TTORN E V3 .IL.L.

Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

STATES arent JOSEP-H A. PELIZZOVNI, OF ALLENTOWN, FENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNGR TO INTER- NATIONAL MOTOR CMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORORATION F :DELA-r' VARE.

MIETI-IOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BENDIITGYAXLES AND THE LIKE.

Application led February 23, 19221 Serial No. 538,496.

This invention while applicablel to the bending of metal parts generally will find its lgreatest usefulness in connection with the bending of axles of automobiles which. for

reasons well known, are given a permanent camber or set. Heretofore. this bending has been done by hand and in a slow tedious yexpensive manner requiring` considerable skill for its successful practise. In this hand method it has been found humanly impossible to insure a uniform camber throughout the axle so that the corresponding sections thereof at opposite sides of the mid point will have the same relative positions. This lack of uniformity 'has resulted in the axle spindles and the wheels thereonbeing set in improper relation. The object of the pres@ ent invention is to provide an improved method 'of and fixture for bending axles and the like and imparting to them a uniform camberl at opposite sides of the mid point. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an improved fixture in which axles of different sizes may be placed quickly in such relation to the bending devices as to facilitate the imposition of bending stresses which will impart the required camber. Further, the invention is concerned with a fixture in which are 'employed gauges designed to indicate accurately to the operator just when the predetermined camber has beeny given to the axle. Still another object of the invention is to incorporate in such a fixture interchangeable r supports for the axle whereby the supporting blocks may be adapted to receive axles of different sizes and yet support them in desired relation to v`.the..indicating gauge plugs and the bending devices.

`In accordancewith the improved method it is proposed to support the axle at points remote from` its center andV impressfbendine' stresses on its mid section whereby the camber imparted at opposite sides ofthe mid section will be uniform by reason'of the confinement of the ends. In the improved method 'the extent of oamber is indicated lov deflection of free portions of the axle with reference to fixed gauge points in the fixture in proximitvto the middle or the ends, respectively. The method described may, of course, be practised successfully withv means other than those illustrated herein. although the fixture disclosed has been found in pracadjustable end stops. The degree of deflection of the axle is indicated by fixed gauge points which the axle touches when bent. The bending device proper, in the preferred form, comprises a hand wheel on the spindle of which is carried a presser block adapted to engage the side of the axle. Yielding seats are provided "adjacentto the mid section of the axle tov resist turning stresses to which the axle 'may be Vsubjected during bending. Y 4 The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to thepreferred em-V bodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: A Figure 1 is a view in plan of the improvedlmachine showing its adaptation to the bendingrrof theaxles for motor vehicles. Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation thereof, parts being broken away in the interest of clearness. i Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section taken through the bendingrdevices .and onlthe 4 plane indicated by the line`3-3 of Fig. 1 i and looking in the direction of the arrows. 4 is a view in transverseV section taken throughthe base of the fixture and on the and looking in the direction ofthe arrows".`

Fig.` 5 is a view in end elevation of the fixture. .Y y g Fig. 6 is a view in plan showing somewhatmodified means for indicating the amplitude of the bend by gauge points.

Fig. 7 is a view in transverse section through the machine shown in Fig. 6 and taken on the plane Vindicated-'by the line .7-.7 of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a view in transverse section taken along the plane indicated by the line 8 8 ofFig. 6 and looking` in the direction of the arrows and showing modified clamping ldevices for the V-blocks.

The Yclaims of the present application are intended to cover the improved method of bending axles and the like as disclosed herein as Well as the machine for practising the method, inasmuch as it Will be clear as the description proceeds 'that the improved method may be practised by other machines than that disclosed in the drawings. However, for convenience in this description, the preferred embodiment of a machine for bending the axles ot motor vehicles will first `be described with some degree of particularity in order that the method in its broader aspects may Vbe more readily understood.

The elements of the improved :machine may be mounted on any suitable base illustrated herein as I-beams a. On the base are secured in spaced relationship lsuitable devices for supportingI the axle Z) adjacent to its 'reeends, these supporting devices in the .illustrated embodiment being represented as AV-blocks c having hinged clamping caps c1 lwhich may .be held releasably in desired relation to Vthe blocks by means of swinging bolts "c2 hinged to the blocks and adapted to be engaged with the caps-c1 by means ot lock.

nuts 03 threaded thereon. In the 'blocks c and caps c1 are removably carried bearing plugs d `the sizes of which are appropriate 'to the axle being bent `and which are in spaced relationship, and constitute self-alin- Iing supports for the axle. The bearing 'laces of these .plugs d may be slightly spherical. .Pairs of such plugs may `be vmounted in complementarj7 relation, as indicated i-n plan in Fig. 1.

Adjacent to the .mid section of the fixture and to the mid section of the axle, Wl en in place, may be provided tivo yielding supports orthetaxle formed plun gers c which vfloat on springs e1 adjustably seated on threaded plungers e2.. By adjustment of the threaded plungers e2, it is evident, as viewed in Fig. 2, that the initial elevation ofthe plungers .may be determined as Well as the tension on the springs el. These spaced seats e, of course, While affording a yielding support for ithe axle e, adapt themselves .to its elevation as determined by the 'tl-.blocks c but .have the effect of resisting twisting stresses impressed on the axle during the bending operations. At about where themid section ot the axle is found When the latter is in its supporting blocks are mounted in thetixture the .bending devices proper. These include a threaded shaft f on-one end of which is an operating hand vvheel f1 and on the other end of which is a presser block f2 the faces tot which may be curved for easy engagement with the side ofthe axle.

At the extreme opposite ends of the base beams a, are secured plates g on Which are supported standards g1 adapted to slide longitudinally of the plate-s g and to be secured adjustably in place by means of bolts g2 and vlock nuts g3 thereon. The heads ot these bolts g2 are disposed in under-cut ways (fi formed in the appropriate sections of the base plates y. lin the end ivall ot the standards g1 are threaded stop screws /L which may be adjusted to engage the opposite ends oi the axle and hold it against axial displacement during the bending operation. ln the sides ott the standard (/1 may be supported removably gaugeplugs which have tapered ends resting in proximity to the axle spindles 1. The amount ot taper ot the ends of the gauge plugs z' correspond to the degree of camber to be given to the axle. ln the preferred practise. the blocks Will be so -disposed with respect to the spindles L1 that the taper of the faces will shoe7 daylight between the plugs and the spindles before the bending operation land this daylight lwill be lost when t-he spindles have rbeen detlectedby bending to an amount corresponding to the taper ot t-he plugs z', that is7 to an amount corresponding` to the cambcr to 'be given to the axle. The plugs i, as heretoforefstated. may be removed and replaced in the standards g1 by plugs having their `ends formed With'some other taper, depending` upon the predetermined Vcamber to be given to the particular axle 'to be bent.

It may be desirable tor axles ot different lengths to change the initial setting ot the standards g1, and ttor that reason the bolts g2 and nuts 'Uf/3 are provided flior convenient .adjustment thereof. ln the same Way, it fmight be desirable to change the initial setting oit tliejV-bloclfs c and to that end these blocks are set in gibs 7i: which themselves may be seated in the base plates f/ ivith capacity 'for angular adjustment Without 'longitudinal orlateral displacement. To this end, the 4gibs Z2 have circular bosses 701 formed on 'their under :tace which seat in recesses (/5 of corresponding form inthe upper faces of the base .plates g.. Bolts 7a2 passing through the gibs 7c land the Ybase plates f/ provide convenient securing means for maintaining the `gibs releasably in adjusted relation `to all of the parts.

ln practice. the hand wheel f1 Will be re- Vvol-ved until the curved presser block f2 is retracted sutliciently to permit an .axle to be placed Von the yielding seats Ve with its ends restingin -the V-blocksc. The bearing plugs fZ vWithin the V-blocls c and theircaps c1 1will be of such size -as to support the particular axle to be bent at the proper height with respect to :the presser block f2. The cap c1 will be thrown over the axle and clamped in place by the lock nut c2 and bolt c3 afliter the initial setting. r*lhe threaded stops 7i Will be yturned `up to bear lightly against the ends ol" the axle and thereby hold it against axial displacement. Suitable gage plugs i having a taper corresponding tothe the presser block predetermined camber to be given to the axle will have been mounted in the standards g1. The axle when placed in the improved fixture will have been heated adjacent its mid section so that bending stresses may be effectively imposed thereon and a permanent set be heldv as the cooling' proceeds. The hand wheel f1 when set up on will force the block f2 against the mid section ofthe axle ZJ and thereby give lthe axle-a uniform camber from the. mid point outwards, the V-blocks .adjacent to the ends of the axle insuring a corresponding movement of corresponding sections at opposite sides of the mid point. The operator will observe the spindles b1 approaching parallelismwith the tapered faces of the gage plugs t' and when this parallelism is attained will know that the predetermined camber is .in the axle. lhen this desired camber has been gotten, of course, it is necessary to have it permanently retained. To ascertain this, the operator may retractthe presser block f2 slightly and observe whether the relation' between the spindles and the gage plugs z' is maintained. The feel of the wheel f1 will also indicate to his practised hand whether there is any springiness in the axle or whether it has taken a permanent set with the camber in it. After' this permanent set has been secured f2 is retracted and the caps c1 thrown back to permit the removal of the axle.

In Figs. 6 and 7 are shown modified means of gauging the camber of the axle during the bending which, Vunder some conditions of use, may be preferable to those heretofore described. For instance, it is true that the highest degree of accuracy can only be secured `with the gauge plugs z' when a skilled operator is employed. In the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the base A of the machine carries thereon a fixed bracket A1 opposite the bending screw F1 for the support of an adjusting screw A2. In gauging the camber of the axle it is proposed to adjust the screw A2 at suoli a distance from the axle (before the bending) that a gauge I of predetermined thickness will rest between the axle when in position to be bent and the end of the screw A2. Then this adjustment of the screw A2 has been made the bending operation will be carried on inthe manner hereinbefore described until the axle has vbeen forced against the4 end of the screw A2 when the operator will find that the predetermined amount of camber has been imparted to the axle. Obviously, gauge plugs of different thicknesses may be used and axles of varying breadths may be given the same camber without variation so long as the same gauge is employed. No particular skill is required and the results are perhaps more invariable.

In the modified devices illustrated in Fig.

8 the cap C1 of the V-block C is clamped in place to hold the axle by means of a link C2 pivoted to the block C and cam handle C3 pivoted to the link and co-operating with the cap C1 to clamp the cap releasably. This Ystress on the heated section of the axle and observing the effects both through the feel at the time the stress is relieved and through variations in daylight showing between the plugs z' and the spindles 1. Another incidental step in this method is the support of the axle on vself-adapting supports and the clamping of the axle against axial displacement.

As has been indicated before other devices not particularly described herein may find such embodiment as to enable the improved method to be practised but such other fixtures are to be considered within the scope of the invention so far as corresponding elements are employed for the purpose of producing and resisting the stresses in the manner particularly described.

I claim as my invention: l. The method of bending axles and th like which consists in heating the mid section, placing it in adjustable supports near the ends thereof, applying bending stresses to the mid section thereof until the axle is indicated by suitable indicating devices to have assumed the: predetermined camber and alternately relieving and applying the said. bending stresses to the mid section until it is found to be` free from elasticity and the ends remain in iixed relation to the indicating devices.

2. A fixture. for bending axles and the` like including V blocks having interchangeable bearing plugs of different sizes to support axles of different sizes on the desired center line, yielding means to afford support for the axle adjacent to the mid section, and adjustable stops to limit axial movement of the axle.

3. A fixture for bending axles' and the like including yielding seats for the mid section of the axle, V-blocks having adjustable bearings for axles of different sizes, removable gauge plugs having tapered faces co-operating` with the axle spindles to indicate the predetermined camber, a presser block engaging the axle adjacent the mid section,

and manual means to force the block against the axle.

et. In a machine for bending axles and the like, V-blocks to support the axles near the ends, gibs in Awhich said supports are slidably carried foi1 longitudinal adjustment,` means to support the. gibs pivotally While inaintainingi` thein against longitudinal and lateral displacement, end stops for the axles,

fied by Isaid blocks and engageable against the axle, and nieans for applying pressure to the axle. between the supporting blocks.

6. In a machine for bending axles and the like, the combination of a traine, blocks toi' supporting the axle intermediate its ends, ineans for mounting the blocks on the tiaiiie so that they can tui'n about a vertical axis as Well as be adjusted longitudinally, ineans for pii'eventing axial inoveinent of the axle, means for suppo'ting the axle vertically Where the. bending 'foices are exerted, lneans for exerting a bending force. at the iniddle oit the axle and ineans for gaging the deilections.

This specification signed this 17th day oi February, A. D. 1922.

JOSEPH A. PELIZZONI. 

